CDFA ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR “BUY CALIFORNIA” GRANT PROGRAM

$7 million in competitive grants will benefit growers of California’s specialty crops

SACRAMENTO, March 28, 2001—The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), is opening the application period for Governor Gray Davis’ “Buy California” program, a $7 million competitive grants program seeking projects that will benefit the state’s many growers of specialty crops.
“Growers throughout California asked us to dedicate a portion of the ‘Buy California’ funds to smaller research, outreach and pilot projects that will benefit local growers quickly,” said CDFA Secretary William (Bill) J. Lyons, Jr. “This program gives every farmer, agricultural organization, non-profit agency, and anyone else involved with agriculture an opportunity to create or expand a project that helps California’s specialty crop producers.”
Gov. Davis unveiled the $79 million “Buy California” initiative last month at the World Ag Expo in Tulare. The Governor made an unprecedented commitment to promote California’s harvest, develop new markets for the state’s agricultural commodities, and fund research and education efforts that will help solidify the future of agriculture in the Golden State.
Applications will be accepted through April 30, 2002. The application materials are available on the CDFA web site, www.cdfa.ca.gov/calgrant/. CDFA’s evaluation of the proposals will be based on their ability to provide the broadest benefit to agriculture, and to show measurable, long-term, positive impacts.
The Buy California initiative is intended to help boost consumption of California’s agricultural products, benefiting public health, the agricultural community, and the state’s economy.
The program's goal is to remind consumers of the quality and freshness of California's agricultural products. As a result, California's specialty crop producers will benefit from increased consumption, and consumers will continue to enjoy the unsurpassed quality and safety of California's food supply.

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FLEX YOUR POWER. To meet California’s energy challenge, CDFA urges businesses and consumers to conserve. For a list of simple ways that you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our Web site @www.cdfa.ca.gov